Methods of the Radiation Monitoring Operation of the Chemical Processing Department.

This work was performed to develop a general chemical method for the determination of small amounts of plutonium in solution. The work showed that a coulometric titration based on the preliminary oxidation of the plutonium to Pu (VI) followed by titration with electrolytically-generated ferrous ion to Pu (IV) was such a general method and was subject to few interferences. The significance of the work is that a chemical determination of plutonium can be made for amounts of plutonium heretofore determined only by radioassay methods, and the chemical determination of larger amounts are made more readily and with higher precision than with previous methods. The work also extends the application of coulometric titration methods to a new substance.